Guardian
by CatchingCraziness
Summary: A vampire needs a werewolf pack to survive, which means that Scott being bitten opens all sorts of new doors for Stiles - who's been a vampire since his seventh birthday.
1. Chapter 1

Stiles felt it immediately; the surge of power that filled his body for a few milliseconds before leaving him swaying on his feet. He ran his tongue over his teeth, poking his canines to explore the new pointy feeling. Amanda; his mum, chuckled at his expression, guiding him towards a mirror so that he could see his new silver coloured eyes.

John; his dad, stood in the doorway of his bedroom, watching over the events with a mixture of pride and resignation. Stiles knew that there was a part of his dad that had hoped he wouldn't come into his inheritance, but also accepted that it was who Stiles was now.

He'd been waiting his whole life for this; to see if he would become a vampire like his mother. Neither of his parents had ever tried to hide the truth from him, but they'd only explained everything in detail a few weeks before his birthday.

It was on the seventh birthday that the potential vampire would find out if they'd inherited the gift, and they'd wanted him to be prepared. There was so much that came with being a vampire, and a part of Stiles felt overwhelmed, but he was still young, he had time to learn.

Scott, his best friend, stared in amazement at Stiles's new reflexion, grinning wildly when he caught his friends' eye. Scott was his only and best friend; Amanda had told him everything at the same time that she'd told Stiles. Scott knew that he had to keep it secret, even from his own family, but there were also no doubts that he would betray them.

Vampires needed a stable pack to survive – a lot like werewolves. Amanda had explained that werewolves and vampires were connected; a vampire would always find a pack to belong to. For now, Scott was Stiles's pack, even if he was human.

A vampire was classed as a pack Guardian, because it was their job to protect the pack and advise them, much like their Druid emissary. Amanda was bonded to the Hale pack, which meant that when Stiles was old enough, the title of Guardian would fall to him. It would be his responsibility to protect the Hale pack from harm.

It was important to have a healthy pack, and the larger it was the better. A vampire could only feed from pack, which was why packless vampires tended to die out. At a push, a vampire could go two weeks without feeding at all, but to be healthy, it was important to feed at least once a week, more if the vampire was injured.

Unlike werewolves, vampires didn't get many special abilities when they came into their powers. They didn't have extra speed or strength and their senses remained the same. The only bonus's a vampire got was to be able to see better in the dark.

Once a vampire was bonded to a pack, like Amanda was, they would have other abilities that were more Druid like than anything else. Amanda could feel each member of the pack if she concentrated; she could only feel certain things, like where they were or if they were injured in any way. She said that it helped her protect them since she could sense if there was a problem.

A pack with a Guardian was actually extremely rare, mostly because vampires had been hunted down until they were close to extinction. This meant that the remaining vampires were treated with a very high degree of respect from the supernatural world. No one wanted to mess with a pack that was protected by a Guardian.

Much like the Druid emissary, only certain members of the pack knew who the Guardian was. Everyone in the pack knew that they had a Guardian, for they could feel them in return, but if the vampire and a member of its pack were to meet face to face, the pack member would only know the truth if the Guardian chose to reveal itself.

"Can you feel it?" Amanda questioned gently, running a hand over her sons short hair. "The pack?"

Stiles scrunched his face up in concentration before nodding carefully. He could feel the faint echoes of a pack, but since he wasn't bonded to them yet, he couldn't sense anything important. The only reason he could feel them at all was because his mother was preparing him to take over from her when he was old enough.

"I'm hungry," he admitted after a moment of silence. He looked up at his mum carefully, unsure about how to proceed or if what he was feeling was normal. The feeling was strange and new to Stiles, it was like a thirst, but at the same time it was a hunger. It made him feel uncomfortable, but he knew that if he tried, he could ignore it. Amanda had informed him that the longer he left it without feeding, the harder the feeling would become to ignore, until it became a physical pain.

"Scott," Amanda called out softly, holding out a hand to the young boy. He walked forward to her and smiled nervously. "Do you remember what we talked about?"

"I'm Stiles's pack," Scott nodded, pride was clear to hear in his voice. "I'm the only one he can feed off, so he needs me…I'm his Alpha."

"That's right," Amanda smiled, nudging him towards his friend.

Since he shared DNA with both of his parents, Stiles couldn't take blood from either of them without it reacting badly in his body. Both of his parents were classed as part of his pack, but because Scott was the only one he could feed off, he was the only one who was actually classed as an actual part of his pack.

No vampire could be the dominant part of a pack. As a rule, vampires were submissive towards other members off their pack, which meant that they needed an Alpha. It was the Alpha's job to make sure the Guardian was safe, since a Guardian protected the pack, which meant they weren't protecting themselves.

While submissive to their pack, a vampire was incredibly aggressive towards anything that threatened those they'd declared as part of their pack. A Guardian had been known to wipe out an enemy pack single-handedly. They earned the respect and fear that they were given, but none of their pack members would even think about fearing them. It was physically impossible for a Guardian to hurt any member of its pack.

Scott stepped over to where Stiles was still stood by the mirror. Fumbling slightly with his sleeve, he offered his wrist out until Stiles took hold of it, bringing it to his mouth. Staring him straight in the eye, Stiles waited for some sign that Scott truly didn't mind what he was about to do. Giving his a shaky smile, Scott nodded his head. It was all the signal Stiles needed to bite down into the soft flesh that was offered.

As soon as the blood entered his mouth, Stiles knew what his mum had meant when she'd talked about bonds. He could feel Scott in his mind, he knew instinctively that he'd be able to find him if he ever needed to. From the startled gasp that escaped, he knew that Scott was feeling the same thing; the sense of protection that was offered from both sides of the bond.

Since Scott was human, the bond wasn't as strong as it would be if he was a werewolf, but it was still strong enough to anchor Stiles to Scott and accept his best friend as his Alpha. It was instinct that told Stiles when he'd taken enough blood, and he didn't even consider taking more, he pulled away and watched curiously as the two puncture wounds healed themselves before his eyes.

Now that he was no longer feeding off of him, the bond was less intense. He could still feel Scott there, but only if he actively concentrated. Even so, he could feel the link between them as if it was a physical rather than mental thing. Scott grinned at him, no doubt feeling the same thing and a surge of affection filled the bond as Stiles welcomed the feeling of having a pack.

Focusing, Stiles managed to recall the lessons he'd had with his mum, pulling at the power he could still feel thrumming through his veins. When he reopened his eyes and looked in the mirror, his eyes were back to their normal colour and his teeth were blunt again.

Amanda laughed, pulling him into her arms. "Say hello to the night," she whispered against his hair before kissing his forehead and letting him go.

There would be time in the future to focus more on his training, for now she wanted him to have a childhood like normal children. He was too young for the responsibilities that came with being a Guardian, and until she was ready to step down, he wouldn't have to take over. John came up behind her and wrapped her into a hug as they watched their son drag his friend out of the door, babbling something about a game that they'd been playing.

"I almost wish he'd been more like you," Amanda admitted quietly. "It would have meant that he could have a normal life. But at the same time, there's no beating the sense of family and belonging that you get from being part of a pack."

John hummed in agreement. He may have been human, but as a vampire's mate, he could feel the pack bonds too. They were nowhere near as strong for him; the only thing he was able to sense was their acceptance of him, even though most of the pack had never met him.

"There's so much he needs to learn," Amanda murmured sadly, leaning her head back against his shoulder.

"There's time," he reassured her, tightening his hold on her. "He has time to learn."


	2. Chapter 2

They told everyone it was cancer.

Unlike in the stories, vampires have all the same weaknesses as humans except for the fact that they don't get ill. If you stab a vampire with a stake, of course they'll die, but a normal knife would work just as well. The only difference with a vampire is that if they're given enough blood in time, they could survive things that would kill a human.

The myths about sunlight and garlic are completely false, as is the rumour about needing to be invited into a house. Put away the holy objects, they don't have any effect other than to make the hunter look like a fool. Scott nearly had an asthma attack because he was laughing so much when he found out that the vampires in Twilight sparkled.

Unfortunately, Guardians did have weaknesses that normal humans didn't. Other than the obvious need for blood, vampires were allergic to Verbena; it had much the same effect on them as werewolves had to Wolfsbane. The other major vulnerability was their bond to their pack. While it made them stronger and was generally classed as a good thing, it was nearly impossible for a vampire to survive if the bond between them and their pack was broken.

The death of the Hale pack caused Amanda to steadily decline in health until it was only her husband and son that kept her clinging onto life. Truthfully, she was ready to give in; the overwhelming feeling of failing her pack and the loss was too much for anyone to bear.

"We're your pack too," Stiles reminded her in a broken voice. He was sat by her bedside while John was at work. "You can't leave us here. I'm not ready to be a Guardian."

"One day," Amanda murmured weakly. "The remaining Hale pack will return and you will become their Guardian." She reached out a hand as grasped her sons' wrist with all the strength she could muster. "You will have a pack to protect."

Stiles let out a startled gasp as images flashed in his mind, too quickly for him to actually see them. He got the vague impression of black hair and blue eyes that changed to red. Under all of the images, he felt an undercurrent of family and belonging, a lot like what he felt when with Scott.

"What about Scott?" Stiles asked with a sob. He knew for certain that there was nothing he could do; his mum was ready to give in. There was a part of him that yearned for the pack he'd caught glimpses of, but the thought of giving Scott up for anyone was too painful to consider. Scott was his only pack, he was his Alpha and Stiles couldn't imagine giving up the loyalty and family that they shared.

"He'll always be part of your pack," Amanda reassured him. "Nothing will change that."

The bond between Stiles and his mum was wavering, even as her voice was getting weaker. Stiles clung a little tighter to her hand, as if he could tether her to the living world. By the time John got back from work, Amanda had already taken her last breath. The sight that greeted him when he walked through the door tore at his heart: Stiles was laid over his mother's body, sobbing into her shoulder while Scott was curled up on the floor, holding a hand to his friends' ankle.

Scott had felt his best friends' pain and loss through their bond and hadn't even hesitated before going over and trying to comfort him. He, too, felt the broken bond that he'd once shared with Amanda, and he was determined not to leave Stiles alone with his grief. He'd learnt what it was like to be Stiles's Alpha, and he was determined to be there for him.

They learnt later that Laura and Derek Hale had survived the fire because they had both been in school at the time. Peter Hale; their uncle had got out of the fire, but he wasn't expected to ever make a full recovery. Laura and Derek left Beacon Hills and their uncle behind, but Stiles had a vague sense that they would return.

He was still weakly connected to all of the remaining pack members, but the only thing the bonds could tell him was that they were alive. He would know them if he saw them face to face, but he would have no chance at finding any of them because the bonds were so thin.

Stiles's father suffered through the breaking of the mate bond he had shared with his wife. It caused him to turn to alcohol more than was healthy, but never enough to cause him to lash out. Even so, Stiles spent most of his time at Scott's house, keeping close to his pack for comfort.

Melissa McCall; Scott's mum, made sure to look out for both boys. Often allowing Stiles to stay the night; it was clear that she was worried about how Stiles and his father were coping. They were at each other's houses so often that both Melissa and John joked that they'd gained an extra son. It got to the point that they didn't have to ask about staying over for a night or two, and they made themselves at home in either house.

Eventually, feeding off of Scott became natural for both of them. Scott was more comfortable offering his blood and Stiles no longer worried that he would make a mistake. As they were still quite young, it took them a while to work out a routine so that they didn't forget. Most of the time, it was Stiles who reminded him, since he was the one who felt the effects, but after a while, Scott began feeling the echoes of his hunger.

Neither of them made any more friends as they grew up; both of them classed as the outcasts of the school. While it was vaguely depressing, it didn't bother them too much since it meant hiding Stiles's secret easier. For the most part, Stiles was like anyone else, his vampirism didn't change much, but little things – like the way he stayed close to Scott or the way he didn't eat much because he only needed to eat food once a week to survive – would be noticed by anyone who paid attention.

Other children his age found Stiles strange. His mother had warned him that that would happen when he came into his inheritance; they could sense something different about him and it unnerved them subconsciously. Scott mentioned that he was perfectly comfortable around him, but they'd known each other before he became a vampire and they were pack.


	3. Chapter 3

Stiles sensed the return of the Hale Alpha when he was sixteen years old. The bonds that connected him to the remaining Hale pack had been long forgotten by this point, but the one that was linked to Laura Hale seemed to almost twitch, alerting him to the fact that she'd come back to Beacon Hills. He knew instinctively that she was an Alpha and he debated going to find her.

In the end, he decided to see if she'd be willing to meet up with him. Scott was against the idea, but he knew better than to try and stop him. His argument was that Stiles had repeatedly admitted that he wasn't ready to be a Guardian. Stiles just sighed and confessed he didn't think that he'd ever be ready, but he owed it to his mum to connect with her old pack. It was his responsibility.

He concentrated on the weak bond that he shared with the female Alpha, focusing on his feelings of wanting to meet her. He felt brief echoes of surprise before agreement filtered through. The hard part came next; sending her an image of a time and place to meet. He chose the Beacon Hills Preserve as the place to meet and tried to convey a time of 8pm the next night, but he wasn't sure how successful he'd been.

Since he knew that his dad would be against the idea, Stiles purposely didn't mention the fact that Laura Hale was back in town. Instead, he told him that he would be staying at Scott's – which was true because he was planning on going back there after the meeting. Scott would be going with him to represent his current pack, so it was just easier to go back to his afterwards since his mum would be working the night shift.

They set off earlier than they needed to because Scott had to walk slower when he was nervous. He took a few puffs of his inhaler while they were walking, but otherwise he kept up quite well. The place Stiles had chosen was a small clearing at the top of a hill; it had a great view of Beacon Hills. They got there first, but didn't have to wait long before a brown haired woman came out of the trees.

"Alpha Hale," Stiles greeted her respectively, tilting his head to show that he wasn't a threat, but not enough to say that he accepted her as his Alpha yet. "Thank you for agreeing to meet me." He tapped into his powers and allowed his eyes to change to their silver colour before fading back to brown; it would be proof enough that he really was a Guardian.

"Guardian," she responded, her eyes flickering to where Scott was stood to his right. "I admit that my curiosity led me to accept the invitation. I did not imagine that you were so young."

"I took over the role as Guardian when my mother died shortly after the fire," he informed her tightly. Even after all the years that had passed, he still hated talking about his loss. Scott, sensing his distress, shifted closer to him until he could feel the safety of pack. "Allow me to introduce my Alpha."

Scott nodded at her, tilting his head even less than Stiles had and Laura mimicked the motion. Amanda had drilled the words and gestures that they'd need into them before she'd died; determined that when the time came they would both be ready to meet other supernatural beings without insulting anyone.

"It's an honour to meet you both," she smiled politely. "May I inquire as to why you arranged this meeting?"

Stiles stifled a sigh; he hated having to speak so formally, but until she was classed as pack, Laura Hale was to be treated with respect. "I wished to question whether you were planning on staying in Beacon Hills, or merely passing through. My mother had a bond with your pack, one that I inherited upon her death. Should you settle in Beacon Hills once again, it will be my responsibility to renew those bonds…should you be willing to accept me as your Guardian."

There had never been a time when a pack had refused a Guardian. It was classed as a high honour to have a Guardian, and it would be an incredible insult for an Alpha to say no to the offer. Since Beacon Hills was his home, Stiles couldn't leave until he was old enough to be classed as an adult, so he could only fulfil his duties as Guardian if the Hale pack were planning on staying there.

"It would be an honour to accept you as our Guardian," Laura said immediately, a vague sense of joy flowing through the bond. There was also a feeling of pride about the fact that I was offering them the chance to have a Guardian, even though their pack was so small.

Vampires normally bonded to the pack that their parents had stayed with, but if for some reason they needed to find their own pack, they tried to find a big one because it meant that they would be healthier. Since the Hale pack had been gone so long, it would have been acceptable for Stiles to find a different pack. Even though he was young, any pack would be willing to accept him, which meant the fact that he wanted to stay with the Hale pack was an honour to them.

"I do not know yet if my pack will be staying in Beacon Hills," she continued, a bit more subdued. "I must first confer with my brother, but I am reasonably sure that he will be willing to move back."

"Thank you for being honest," I smiled back at her, letting the bond between us strengthen until I could sense her more fully than before. It was the best I could do without accepting her pack as my own. "I shall hold off on renewing the bond until you are sure that you will be staying. I am sure that you understand why I am unable to leave Beacon Hills at this moment in time."

"Of course," she agreed. The determination in her eyes showed me that she would be bringing her pack back into my territory. The vampire side of me danced with joy about the fact that I would be soon adding to my pack. Scott was brilliant and he always made sure to keep me healthy, but I knew that I would be stronger with a bigger pack since it would mean I could feed off of multiple people; allowing me to feed more than once a week.

"I must, however, inform you that I will not be willing to give up my current pack," I warned her, hoping that she would accept Scott as she'd accepted me. "Scott is my only pack and has been my Alpha since we were seven years old."

"He will always have a place in the pack," she reassured immediately; I could sense through the bond that she honestly hadn't even thought about not accepting Scott. Before I'd warned her, she'd already been willing to include Scott into her pack. "Whether as a human or as one of us."

"You would offer him the bite?" I kept the surprise out of my voice, but I knew she could feel it through the bond by the amused smile that graced her face. Scott shifted next to me, allowing me to do the talking since I knew more of the etiquette.

"Any human in the pack is offered the choice," she told them, looking at Scott as she spoke. "It is an open offer that they can choose to accept or decline without any worry of judgement."

"We thank you for your generosity," Stiles responded, pleased by how much he was beginning to like the female Alpha. He would have hated it if he couldn't get on with his mother's old pack; he wanted to like them and be their Guardian.

Laura promised to get in contact once she'd spoken to Derek. They exchanged names and details, Laura promising not to use his name. Her pack might have only included Derek – and maybe Peter – but Stiles wasn't ready for everyone to know he was the Guardian. When his mother had been their Guardian only the Alpha and the second in the command had known her identity.

Stiles waited until he was sure Laura was out of werewolf hearing distance before relaxing and turning to grin at Scott. "Thank God that's over," he exhaled noisily, beginning the walk back to his Jeep. "It will be so much easier once we're accepted as pack and don't have to speak so politely."

"It wasn't too bad," Scott laughed, climbing into the passenger seat. He seemed thoughtful and Stiles guessed that he was thinking about the offer Laura had made him.

"Dude," Stiles whined. "You didn't have to say anything!"

"Exactly," Scott grinned, leaning back in his seat as the Jeep began its drive back to the house. His smile faltered a little and uncertainty came across the bond. "Do you think I should take Laura's offer?"

"That's your choice," Stiles said sternly, unwilling to influence his friends' decision. "I don't mind either way. Anyway, you don't have to decide right now, it's an open offer."

"So, you wouldn't mind if I stayed human?" He asked nervously, fiddling with the inhaler in his hands, only looking up as the Jeep came to a stop in front of his house. "The bond would be stronger if I was a werewolf."

"Scott," Stiles waited until he was looking at him. "You're my brother, my pack, and nothing will change that. If you don't want the bite, then don't ask for it, especially not for my sake."

A week after their meeting, Stiles felt the tentative bond that he shared with the female Alpha snap as she drew her last breath. The pain was like nothing he'd ever felt before, and he imagined it was what getting shot felt like. Scott was at his house two minutes later, gasping from a mixture of pain and exhaustion from his bike ride.

The pain of the broken bond was a lot less for Scott, but he still felt the echoes of Stiles's pain. All Stiles could think of was that if this is how it felt to have just one not even completed bond break, then it was no wonder his mum gave up on life when she lost nearly her whole pack.

The comfort Scott offered helped to keep him grounded until the pain lessened, but it felt like there was a hole in his chest. Stiles knew that the only way to completely get rid of the remaining ache and hole would be to bond to another Alpha. First though, Stiles was going to hunt down whoever had dared to hurt someone he'd claimed and remind them why no one messed with a Guardian.


	4. Chapter 4

Stiles let himself into the McCall household with the key that Melissa had given him once she'd caught him climbing through Scott's window once too many times. Scott didn't even twitch when Stiles flung open his bedroom door; he had felt him coming through the bond. Both boys were used to monitoring each other through their connection and there was always a part of them that was looking out for the other.

"I saw my dad leave 20 minutes ago," Stiles announced without his usual cheer. "Dispatch called. They're bringing in every officer from the Beacon Department, and even State Police."

"For what?" Scott questioned, watching him with open concern. Ever since Laura died Stiles hadn't quite been himself; he'd been a lot quieter and had thrown himself into research about who could have killed the Alpha.

"Two joggers found a body in the woods," Stiles replied, causing a sinking feeling to develop in Scott's gut. He knew before Stiles continued what he was going to say. "It was a girl, probably in her 20s. I know it was Laura."

"If they found the body," Scott repeated slowly. "Then what are they looking for?"

"They only found half," Stiles told him. "We're going."

Stiles drove them both in his Jeep to the preserve. He could tell that Scott wasn't comfortable with what they were doing, but he didn't say anything. He knew that it was important to Stiles, and, truthfully, he wanted to find Laura's killer too. He could feel the guilt and anger that Stiles was holding inside and Scott hated that someone had been able to make him feel those things. Scott was his Alpha; he was meant to protect him from things like that.

"I was trying to get a good night's sleep before practice tomorrow," Scott grumbled half-heartedly as they scanned the dead leaves around them.

"Right, 'cause sitting on the bench is such a gruelling effort," Stiles teased, flashing a smile at him so that he'd know he was just joking.

Scott mock glared at him, pleased that he was beginning to act a little more like himself. "No, because I'm playing this year. In fact, I'm making first line."

"Hey, that's the spirit," Stiles laughed. "Everyone should have a dream, even a pathetically unrealistic one."

Scott sighed; though Stiles was only playing around, it was true that the idea of him making first line was practically laughable. "Just out of curiosity, which half of the body are we looking for?" He asked, changing the subject from his terrible sports skills.

"I didn't even think about that," Stiles admitted, continuing to scan the ground at his feet while walking.

"And, uh, what if whoever killed the body is still out here?" Scott questioned again; poking another hole into Stiles's plan.

"That's not a problem," Stiles pulled a sharp looking dagger out of his pocket. The handle was shaped like a wolfs' head and there were images of wolves decorating the sheaf and top of the dagger. "It's coated with Wolfsbane and made of silver," Stiles explained, taking care not to catch himself with it. "It's passed down from Guardian to Guardian in my family to be used in protection of the pack."

"Do you even know how to use that?" Scott demanded, watching nervously as Stiles returned the dagger to its sheaf.

"Of course," Stiles scoffed, as if it was obvious. "I've been training to be a Guardian since I was seven. Even when my mum could no longer train me, my dad made sure that I'd know everything I'd need to protect my pack. He hated the thought that what happened to my mum could happen to me."

"Great," Scott said absently, looking around and not seeing anything but darkness. "Maybe the severe asthmatic should be the one holding the flashlight, huh? Especially since you don't even need a light to see in the dark."

"Wait," Stiles caught sight of a group of officers and dogs searching. "Come on!"

"Stiles!" Scott protested, forced to stop and take another breath of his inhaler as Stiles ran forward. "Wait up! Stiles! Stiles!"

Unfortunately, Stiles was caught by his dad before Scott could stop him. Scott was forced to duck behind a tree while Stiles lied to his dad about Scott being at home. Thankfully, the bond Scott shared with Stiles didn't mean that John could find him. He could only feel that he was alive, not where he was or even if he was hurt like Stiles could.

Stiles waited until his dad had dragged him back to the Jeep before speaking. He hated leaving Scott alone in the dark, but he also knew how much trouble he'd be in if his mum found out what they'd been doing.

"The body you're looking for is Laura Hale," Stiles blurted out, secure in the knowledge that only his dad was around to hear him.

The Sheriff sighed, rubbing a weary hand over his face. "How do you know that, Stiles? We haven't managed to identify the body yet."

"I felt her die," he admitted in a small voice. "I arranged to meet her when she came back to town and we strengthened the bond."

John flinched, no doubt thinking about what had happened to his wife when her bonds had been broken. "Are you okay?" His eyes roamed over his sons' body, as if he would be able to see the damage caused by a bond being broken.

"I'm alright," Stiles shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. "We didn't renew the bond, so she was only half-pack when she died. It still hurt, but Scott's been helping me get over it."

"I'm sorry, son," John pulled Stiles into a quick hug before ordering him to go home and get some sleep. If he noticed the dagger hanging off of his sons' belt then he didn't mention it.

Stiles was just drifting off to sleep when a flare of pain and panic came through the bond he shared with Scott. Without really meaning to, his eyes flashed silver and his teeth sharpened as his body and power reacted to the threat on his Alpha. Before he could do anything, his phone buzzed with an incoming text.

'Don't worry. Talk to you tomorrow. Try sleep.'

It was from Scott, but the reassurance didn't do much to calm the instincts that were flowing through his body. Stiles took a deep breath and let it out again, repeating the process until he had pulled back the vampire side of himself. He wanted to go find Scott and demand to know what had happened, but Scott could be just as stubborn as he was, so it was probably best to just wait until the next day.

By the time they found each other the next morning; the bond had strengthened enough for Stiles to know what had happened. The only way for Stiles to be able to be so connected to Scott was if his pack mate was no longer human. The feelings he could sense through the link were enough to prove his guess; they were a lot more focused on instinct and Scott's protectiveness was even stronger than before.

"I think we have a problem," Scott said immediately once Stiles was at his side. "I'm pretty sure a wolf bit me, and I heard howling."

"California hasn't had wolves in, like, sixty years," Stiles protested weakly, even though they both knew what had really bitten him.

"I'm a werewolf, aren't I?" He asked numbly, pressing a hand to his side where Stiles knew the bite was – if it hadn't already healed.

"I'm sorry, Scott," Stiles apologized, guilt welling up inside of him. "I know you didn't want the bite, and I was the one who dragged you out."

Reassurance flowed through the bond before he'd even finished speaking. "It's okay, Stiles," he soothed quickly. "Being a werewolf has some good benefits; like not needing my inhaler and like our bond becoming even stronger. Anyway, I hadn't decided whether or not I wanted the bite, I might have said yes."

"Well, since it's my fault you were bitten," Stiles ignored Scott as he insisted that he didn't blame him. "Then I'm going to teach you how to be a werewolf and control it. We'll start today after school."

During the day, Stiles noticed that Scott was having a couple of problems with his enhanced hearing, but he let him try to manage it on his own. Stiles was looking forward to the training session because he would get to try new things too. The great thing about being connected to a werewolf was that he would be able to tap into the werewolf's powers without it taking them away from the werewolf.

It only worked if the connect between the vampire and werewolf was really strong, but since Scott had been his Alpha since they were seven years old, Stiles was fairly confident it would work. That meant that he would be able to have enhanced senses and move quicker just like Scott without the yellow eyes and transformed face. If he wanted to, he would be able to sharpen his nails into claws, but that was the extent of any physical changes he would gain from Scott getting bitten.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to play?" Stiles asked as they got ready for lacrosse. "Other than the fact that I'll have no one to talk to on the bench, you don't know how to control yourself yet."

"I can't sit out again," Scott argued, Stiles could feel his determination, but also his nerves. "My whole life is sitting on the side-lines. This season, I make first line."

"Okay," Stiles nodded in defeat. "But tonight we work on your control. The last thing we need is you wolfing out and hurting anyone."

Scott was sent into goal before they could talk anymore. Stiles watched in amazement as Scott caught every ball that was thrown at him. Even though he knew what the effects of a werewolf bite were, it was a completely different thing to see them in action.

"I don't know what it was," Scott fumbled with his words as he tried to explain what had happened on the lacrosse field. "It was like I had all the time in the world to catch the ball."

Stiles had dragged him back to the preserve, saying that they still needed to find the body and Scott needed to find his inhaler. Even if he didn't need it anymore, his mum would get suspicious if he didn't at least carry it around with him.

"That's great, Scott," Stiles agreed, following his friend to where he'd seen the body. "But remember that we need to work on your control; the full moon's this Friday."

"I know," Scott sighed, his good mood dropping. "And I don't want to hurt anyone." He stopped walking and looked around in confusion. "I could have sworn this was it. I saw the body, the deer came running. I dropped my inhaler."

"Maybe the killer moved the body," Stiles suggested, scanning the ground to see if there was anything that could tell them where the body had gone.

"If he did, I hope he left my inhaler," Scott joked. "Those things are like 80 bucks."

"What are you doing here?" A male voice demanded angrily, causing them both to look up. "Huh? This is private property."

Stiles knew from the faint bond that he shared with the Hale pack that the man in front of them was Derek Hale. He could sense more about him since he'd strengthened his bond with Laura before her death. The link allowed him to know that Derek wasn't the Alpha, which meant that he wasn't the one that had killed Laura.

"We were just looking for something," Scott spoke up when it became apparent that Stiles wasn't going to break the silence. "Forget it. Come on, Stiles, I have to get to work."

Derek threw Scott's inhaler at him before they could turn away and then left them standing there, staring after him. Stiles watched him carefully; he had sensed that Laura had had a lot of affection for her brother, and there was always a possibility that Derek could one day become Alpha.

"Was that Derek Hale?" Scott questioned, turning to look at his friend.

Stiles nodded. "It was. And didn't he just seem like a ball of sunshine."

They went back to Stiles's house for training before Scott had to go to work. The training session mostly included reading the books that Amanda had given them about werewolves and then trying to figure out Scott's anchor. The only way to test his anchor would be to get him angry, which neither of them really wanted to do.

"Just, try to think of an anchor before Friday night, we can start testing them tomorrow," Stiles patted him on the back as he was leaving.

The next morning Scott was practically walking on air as he told Stiles that he'd asked the new girl, Allison, if she wanted to go to the cinema on Saturday. He admitted that he'd nearly asked her to go to the party with him, but remembered at last minute that it was the same night as the full moon.

His day got even better when he made first line thanks to some new gymnastic skills. Stiles was happy for his friend, he just hoped that he wouldn't wolf out when playing. With that in mind, Stiles made Scott tell his mum that he was staying the night at Stiles' house.

The Sheriff was going to be working all night because of the murder, so it would give them time to find an anchor for Scott before the full moon came up. They were both understandably apprehensive when they read in one of Amanda's books that there was a family of hunters with the last name 'Argent' that had lived in Beacon Hills before. Since that was Allison's last name, they were worried that it might be her family, but without proof they decided to think about it later.

"Right," Stiles clapped his hands together and spun his office chair around to face Scott who was sat on the bed. "The best way to test your anchor is for you to wolf out and get angry."

"What if my anchor doesn't work?" Scott asked anxiously. "I could hurt you."

"I don't think you will," Stiles admitted. "I'm part of your pack; therefore your first instinct should be to protect me, just as it's always been."

Scott was too nervous to get angry, which meant that they were forced to wait until the full moon rose before they would be able to see if his anchor worked. Stiles watched carefully as Scott transformed; his teeth and nails sharpening while his eyes changed to gold. He was growling under his breath and Stiles could sense that he was close to bolting out of the window.

"Scott," Stiles caught his attention. "Focus on your anchor. Think of your pack; me, your mum, my dad, Allison."

The last name caused Scott to blink and visibly pull himself back. Stiles grinned, pleased that he'd managed to find Scott's anchor. It didn't bother him that he wasn't his anchor; he was just happy that Scott had found someone that he liked so much. Scott was still wolfed out, but he was more conscious of what was going on.

"Stiles?" He rasped, staring at him.

"Hey, buddy," Stiles couldn't keep the grin off of his face. "You did it. Just keep focusing on Allison."

They stayed awake the whole night, both of them worried that if they fell asleep then Scott might lose control. Scott didn't change back to normal until the sun came up, but he managed to stay in control, which was good enough to start with. The bond helped as something Scott could hold on to, it kept him tethered to his human side and reality.

After their sleepless night, they both slept the morning and most of the afternoon until Scott had to leave to get ready for his date with Allison. Scott seemed a lot more at ease about being a werewolf now that he knew he could control it, with help from Stiles. He began thinking it might not be a curse after all.

**A/N: Dagger = **


	5. Chapter 5

"How'd it go with Allison?" Stiles asked while they were getting ready for lacrosse.

"Great," Scott seemed a little dazed. "It went…great."

When on the field, Jackson was determined to make Scott regret getting onto first line. The coach didn't help matters by insulting him every time something happened, even if it wasn't his fault. Stiles could feel Scott's control slipping and caught a glimpse of yellow eyes on the field just before he rammed into Jackson.

Quickly, before anyone could see, Stiles dragged his friend into the locker room and sat him down on the bench. Scott was breathing heavily, but he didn't lose control. It looked like all the training they'd done had paid off and having knowledge about anchors was helping him out.

"Are you okay?" Stiles questioned once he seemed to have calmed down. As soon as he'd seen that Scott was losing control while playing, he'd strengthened the bond between them in an attempt to keep him grounded. He guessed it worked since Scott was calming down and – from what they'd read – newly bitten werewolves usually struggled a lot harder to keep from attacking people.

"Yeah," Scott panted, lifting his head to look up. Stiles was relieved to see that his eyes were back to their normal colour again. "I think you helped…I could feel the connection. I just kept thinking that I was with my pack and it was enough to stop me wolfing out."

Well, that's good," Stiles grinned, slinging an arm around Scott's neck as they stood up. "Now we just have to make sure you don't wolf out at the game on Saturday."

They didn't have time for training that night, but once all their homework was done, they both switched on their webcams so that Stiles could fill him in on everything. Scott looked a little amused when Stiles fired a fake gun at the screen, which was good because Stiles had been trying to cheer him up a bit.

"What'd you find out?" Scott demanded immediately.

"Well, it's bad," Stiles warned him, hoping he didn't take the news too badly. "Jackson's got a separated shoulder."

"Because of me?" Scott looked genuinely distressed at the thought.

"Because he's a tool," he corrected. In his opinion, it was Jackson's own fault that he got injured, if he hadn't tried to make Scott look bad then he'd have never gotten hurt.

"But is he going to play?" Scott asked.

"They don't know yet," Stiles answered helplessly. "Now they're just counting on you for Saturday." There was a pause in conversation. "By the way, it looks like the werewolf welcoming committee has arrived."

"What?" Scott turned around to see what Stiles was staring at and let out a startled gasp as he was lifted out of his seat and slammed against the wall by none other than Derek Hale.

"I saw you on the field," Derek told him angrily. "You shifted in front of them! If they find out what you are, they find out about me. About all of us. And then it's not just the hunters after us, it's everyone."

"They didn't see anything!" Scott denied. "And I didn't shift! I stopped myself!"

Derek looked surprised for a second before going back to anger. "Just because you stopped yourself once, doesn't mean you can do it again," he growled out. "If you even try to play in that game on Saturday, I'm going to kill you myself."

He disappeared before Scott could say anything. Once his heartbeat had calmed back down, Scott sat back down at his computer to see what Stiles thought of what Derek had said. Stiles offered him a small smile while a sense of reassurance flowed through their link.

"Hey, come here," Stiles called out to Scott the next day at school. Scott obediently walked over to see what his pack mate wanted. "Tell me what they're saying." He pointed at a group of people that included the Sheriff and the principal.

"Curfew because of the body," Scott informed him after listening for a while.

"I wish we knew who did it," Stiles muttered in annoyance. "My dad knows what to look for, but he can't take down an Alpha, even if he can find out who it is."

"We'll find him," Scott assured him. "Now, let's go get some training done so I don't hurt anyone."

Stiles accepted the idea with a sigh, leading the way to the empty lacrosse field where they could practise. Since his transformation was linked to his heartbeat, Stiles strapped a heartbeat monitor that he'd 'borrowed' from their coach to Scott's arm.

"Right, now just get angry," Stiles said once he had the monitor screen up. "Wolf out, and then think about your anchor, whether it's Allison, your pack, or both."

Scott nodded and began to think about how he'd felt when he'd wolfed out the last time. It was hard to concentrate on feeling angry, but he needed to know how to change whenever he wanted if he was to learn how to control it. Eventually, he manager to transform and – by focusing on his anchor – remained in control. The only problem was he wasn't sure if he'd be able to resist shifting when he played on Saturday. No matter what Derek had said, he was determined to play the game. If he could just prove that he wouldn't shift then Derek would leave him alone.

"Let me try something," Stiles spoke up. While Scott had been focusing on keeping control, Stiles had been practising tapping into the werewolf's power. It had taken a lot of concentration, but he was able to enhance his senses and even sharpen his nails into claws. "Wolf out for a second."

Once Scott was in wolf form, Stiles closed his eyes and concentrated on their bond. He could feel the difference; Scott was ruled more by his instincts when transformed. Frowning slightly, Stiles projected how the bond had felt before Scott had shifted. He wanted to know if he could affect Scott's shift; if it was somehow possible to counteract it.

Hearing a gasp from Scott, Stiles opened his eyes and let out a cheer at what he saw. Scott was back in fully human form and looked a mixture of excited and confused. Stiles was relieved since it meant that if Scott shifted during the game, then he'd be able to pull him back if he concentrated hard enough.

They were both more nervous than usual while getting ready for the game, which meant that Stiles filled the silence with babbling and Scott worried about the fact that Allison was in the crowd, along with her dad. Apparently, when he'd found out that she was coming to watch him play; her dad had decided to tag along with her.

"Just try not to worry too much while you're out there, okay?" Stiles instructed. "Or get too angry. Or stressed. I might be able to pull you back, but let's not risk it, yeah?"

In the end, Scott did end up using some of his new powers to win the game, but he managed to do so that he was still mostly in control. Stiles thought it was just good that he hadn't growled at anybody and that the only part of him that changed were his eyes. It had been tricky, but Stiles had been able to pull him back a few times and Scott changed his eyes back on his own by thinking of Allison.

The crowd rushed out of the stands to congratulate the team once the game was over. Allison reached Scott before anyone else and they spoke for a little bit before kissing. Stiles glanced over to her dad and thought that he didn't look pleased. Ignoring the foreboding feeling he got, Stiles pasted a grin onto his face and tackled the new couple into a hug that nearly knocked them over.

They waved goodbye to Allison before her father could come over and collect her. Scott was over the moon with joy about kissing her and the fact that he'd kept in control – with help. They'd kept an eye out for Derek, but neither of them had seen him at the game. Stiles then had the unfortunate privilege of telling Scott that their suspicions had been right: the body had been identified as Laura Hale and had been classed as an animal attack.


End file.
